Other forms: walkathons
A walkathon is a fundraiser in which donors pledge money based on the distance a participant covers on foot. Many walkathons raise money to treat or research cures for specific diseases, like multiple sclerosis or breast cancer.
Walkathons tend to be large, well-organized events that target issues that affect a lot of people. If you participate in a walkathon to benefit people who lost their homes in a huge wildfire, you'll ask everyone you know to pledge a specific amount of money per mile. After the walkathon, you can add up the miles you walked and collect the donations. Walkathon, a portmanteau of walk and marathon, was coined in the 1930s.